Packing capsule

ABSTRACT

A capsule having two halves and each half having a locking mechanism. Each half has an extended diameter at the edge to allow for the locking mechanism and to provide that each half can stack upon itself for easy shipping. The dome shape of each half of the capsule can be stacked on like halves for shipping in a straight stack. The extended diameter allows each half of the same type to stack with a friction point directly above the step on each half and allows the user to stack in a straight pile for shipping. Below each step on each half is an extended rim, and a locking mechanism. A user can place any small object such as a toy in the upper and lower half for vending or storage.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Priority is claimed to application Ser. No. 60/319,164 filed onApr. 2, 2002.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention is a packing capsule for use in vendingmachines for toys or other novelty items, having two halves to a dome orsphere that are interlocking by ridges along the diameter.

[0004] 2. Background of the Invention

[0005] Vending machines have been available in most convenience or superstores for vending candy, stamps, cleaning agents such as detergents,and children's toys, among other novelty items. There are also severaldifferent crane devices in place for children or their parents toattempt to grab the toy with the crane, and drop it in a receptacle forthe child to receive the toy. Many of these vending machines requirethat the toy or other novelty item be enclosed in a capsule to keep theprize or toy intact while passing through the machinery or being grabbedby the crane device.

[0006] There are egg shaped devices available for holding the toys orother novelty items. The egg shaped devices normally have one half thathas a smaller diameter on the rim that the second half so the egg canclose together easily around an item. These devices are unlike thepresent invention because they do not have an extended diameter at therim, and they do not have locking mechanisms on each half. Additionally,the egg shaped devices are elliptical in shape, not circular and theycannot stack in a stable manner for shipping due to the friction pointsof each curvature of each half having the same diameter and thereforeneeding to share the same physical space upon shipping.

[0007] There are also spherical capsules available which join in thesame manner as the egg shaped devices. These capsules are unlike thepresent invention because they do not have locking mechanisms on eachhalf, and they cannot easily be stacked for shipping.

[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 3,882,316 issued to Garris on May 6, 1975 shows aquality control monitor for medicinal capsule packaging apparatus.Garris' invention is unlike the present invention because it is a methodfor sending photoelectric rays through medicinal capsules to determineif the capsules are fit to hold medicine. It does not provide a means tocreate capsules for packaging, or capsule halves with friction pointsfor ease in shipping or stacking. Additionally it does not providelocking mechanisms between capsule halves.

[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 4,201,300 issued to Klingaman, et al., on May 6,1980 shows a capsule package. Klingaman's invention is unlike thepresent invention because it is a capsule for holding detergent, it isnot spherical, and does not provide a frictional point for stackingcapsule halves for shipping and the like.

[0010] European Patent no. 0 520 270 A1 issued to Hasleberg, on Jun. 13,1992 shows a means for assembling a longitudinal body. Hasleberg'sinvention is unlike the present invention because it is shaped in alongitudinal cylindrical shape, it does not have two halves having alocking mechanism, and it does not provide a friction point on each halfto allow for efficient shipping and storage.

[0011] U.S. Pat. No. 5,221,007 issued to Foos on Jun. 22, 1993, show atelescoping capsule package for supporting fragile article. Foos'invention is unlike the present invention is unlike the presentinvention because it is not a spherical shipping or packaging body, andit does not provide a shipping container with frictional points to easeshipping of multiple empty containers.

[0012] U.S. Pat. No. 5,637,335 issued to Fond, et al., on Jun. 10, 1997shows a capsule package containing roast or ground coffee. Fond'sinvention is unlike the present invention because it is a flow throughpackage for brewing coffee, it could not be used for shipping in anenclosed and non-porous environment, and it is no spherical in shape.

[0013] Therefore a need has been established for a capsule, which isspherical in shape, has locking mechanisms on each half, and can beeasily stacked for bulk shipping purposes.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0014] The present invention is a capsule having two halves and eachhalf having a locking mechanism. Each half has an extended diameter atthe edge to allow for the locking mechanism and to provide that eachhalf can stack upon itself for easy shipping. The dome shape of eachhalf of the capsule can be stacked on like halves for shipping in astraight stack.

[0015] The extended diameter allows each half of the same type to stackwith a friction point directly above the step on each half and allowsthe user to-stack in a straight pile for shipping. Below each step oneach half is an extended rim, and a locking mechanism. The diameter atthe rim of the lower half is slightly larger than the diameter at therim of the upper half to allow the upper half's locking mechanism to fitbelow the locking mechanism of the lower half. A user can place anysmall object such as a toy in the upper and lower half for vending orstorage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0016]FIG. 1 shows a cut away view of many upper halves stacked on eachother, as for shipping.

[0017]FIG. 2 shows a cut away view of many lower halves stacked on eachother, as for shipping.

[0018]FIG. 3 shows a close up view of the locking mechanisms of theupper half and the lower half.

[0019]FIG. 4 shows a view of the upper half connected to the lower half.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The present invention is a spherical capsule to hold items forshipping or prior to purchase. The capsule has two halves, an upper anda lower half, that lock together for secure closure. The upper and lowerhalves each have steps at the rim, which provide a locking mechanism andan easy stacking means.

[0021]FIG. 1 shows many upper halves (10) stacked on each other, as forshipping. There is a step (40) on each side of the upper half (10). Inan alternative embodiment, step (40) can entirely encircle thecircumference of upper half (10). The step (40) extends the curvature ofthe upper half (10). The center (20) of the curvature extends in adownward angle to friction point (30). When stacked the upper halves(10) meet at the friction point (30) on each side. The step (40) allowsthe user to stack the upper halves (10) and provides a release from thefriction point (30). The step (40) allows an extension of the curvaturefrom the center (20) without the upper halves (10) having to share thesame physical space upon stacking. The step (40) extends to the rim (50)of the upper half (10) and includes the locking mechanism, to beexplained in detail later, for the upper half (10) and the lower half(FIG. 2, 100).

[0022]FIG. 2 shows many lower halves (100) stacked on each other as forshipping. There is a step (140) on each side of the lower half (100) forease in stacking, and to extend the curvature of the half (100) from thecenter (120) to the rim (150). In an alternative embodiment, step (140)can entirely encircle the circumference of lower half (100). There isalso a friction point (130) created from stacking the lower halves(100), which keeps the stack even and from tilting from side to sideduring shipping. The step (140) allows an extension from the center(120) of the curvature through the friction point (130) so the lowerhalves (100) do not have to share the same physical space at the base.The step (140) extends to the rim (150) and includes the lockingmechanism, to be explained in detail later, for the upper half (FIG. 1,10) and the lower half (100).

[0023]FIG. 3 shows a close up view of the upper locking mechanism (55)of the upper half (10) as attached to the locking mechanism (155) of thelower half (100). The rim (50) of the upper half (10) extends in ahorizontal manner to the locking mechanism (55) of the upper half (10).The rim (150) of the lower half (100) extends horizontally to thelocking mechanism (155) of the lower half. The rim (150) of the lowerhalf (100) is of a greater diameter than the rim (50) of the upper half(10), to allow the locking mechanism (55) of the upper half (10) to fitsecurely under the locking mechanism (155) of the lower half (100). FIG.4 shows a complete view of the upper half (10) connected to the lowerhalf (100).

[0024] In alternate embodiments of the spherical capsule, the curvatureof the upper half (10) and lower half (100) can have indentations in a“V” shape at even points along the arc of the curve. In this embodimentthe steps (40, 140) on the upper half (10) and lower half (100) are notneeded to create the friction points (30, 130) for stackable shipping.The “V” indentations create a break in the arc at a certain point, andcreate a curvature in which the halves (10, 100) can be stacked on likehalves for shipping purposes. Another embodiment of the sphericalcapsule has an elongated curvature for the lower half (100) of thecapsule and a shortened curvature for the upper half (10). Anyembodiment of the spherical capsule is feasible as long as the frictionpoints (30, 130) can be attained when stacking like halves on eachother.

[0025] The present invention is not limited to the sole embodimentsdescribed above, but encompasses any and all embodiments of thefollowing claims.

I claim:
 1. A stackable device, comprising: an upper dome, having afirst section and a second section; at least one point disturbing thenormal slope of said upper dome, wherein said at least one point dividessaid upper dome into said first section and said second section; andwherein said second section has a greater circumference than said firstsection.
 2. A stackable device as in claim 1, wherein said upper dome isa hemisphere.
 3. A stackable device as in claim 1, further comprising alower dome removably communicating with said upper dome.
 4. A stackabledevice as in claim 3, wherein the largest circumference of said lowerdome is smaller than the largest circumference of said upper dome.
 5. Astackable device as in claim 4, wherein said upper dome communicateswith said lower dome via a locking mechanism.
 6. A stackable device asin claim 1, wherein said upper dome can communicate with anotheridentical upper dome via said at least one point.
 7. A stackable deviceas in claim 3, wherein said lower dome has a lower first section and alower second section; at least one lower point disturbing the normalslope of said lower dome, wherein said at least one lower point dividessaid lower dome into said lower first section and said lower secondsection; and wherein said lower second section has a greatercircumference than said lower first section.
 8. A stackable device as inclaim 7, wherein said lower dome can communicate with another identicallower dome via said at least one lower point.